Mechanism for converting a wall type oven to a combination oven and surface heater unit



Get. 15, 1968 R. L. GAULT 3,406,277 MECHANISM FOR CONVERTING A WALL TYPE OVEN TO A COMBINATION OVEN AND SURFACE HEATER UNIT 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Oct. 11, 1965 FIG. I.

v INVENTOR Robert L. Gault.

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'AGENT WITNESSES Oct. 15, 1968 R L. GAULT 3,406,277

MECHANISM FOR CONVERTING A'WALL TYPE OVEN TO A COMBINATION OVEN AND SURFACE HEATER UNIT Filed Oct. 11, 1965 2 Shee ts-Sheet z O O S O 0 i l4 L I? Fl G. 5.

United s P ten ABS'I'RAC'I OF THE DISCLOSURE .Mechanism for converting a wall type cookingloven to a combination cooking apparatus comprising the wall oven and a platform containing surface heating elements. The

mechanism is characterized by the provision of a pair of arms movable along guide means provided in side panels attachable to the wall oven. The arms are so attached to theplatform containing the surface unitsthat when the arms are moved the platform travels from an inoperative position directly beneath the wall oven to an operative position below and forward of the front of the wall oven.

This invention relates, in general, to cooking. apparatus and, more particularly to a combination oven and surface heater platform adapted to be mounted on a wall.

A desirable feature of modern home kitchen design is that of providing optimum counter or shelf space and usable floor space. To this end, some cooking ranges are built into the cabinet structure and their heating elements are mounted on a drawer-like structure slidable from beneath an overlying surface.

Other built-in cooking ranges are provided with a rotatable platform having heating elements mounted thereon. One such platform comprises a generally circular configuration with a peripheral truncated portion which may be aligned with the front wall surface of a supporting cabinet structure for minimizing protrusion thereof into the working area. The platform in this instance underlies a shelf structure permitting all or some of the heating elements to be concealed when not in use.

While the arrangements discussed above are satisfactory in kitchens of private homes, they are not, because of their overall size, suitable for smaller kitchens found in apartments, especially efficiency apartments wherein the space problem is more pronounced. One approach to the solution of the space problem is to provide ranges which are much smaller than those found in the private home; however, because these ranges usually have only two surface units and a very small capacity oven, they are not wholeheartedly accepted by the user.

Another approach is to provide a separate oven adapted to be mounted to a wall at approximately eye level and a separate portable hotplate which can be concealed or stored within cabinet structure when not in use. This type of arrangement overcomes the space problem to a satisfactory degree; however, it, too, is not wholeheartedly accepted by the consumer.

Accordingly, it is the general object of this invention to provide improved cooking apparatus suitable for installation in a relatively small room.

It is a more particular object of this invention to provide a cooking range adapted to be used and kept in a kitchen or other suitable room without diminishing the usable work area, including floor space, in the room.

Another object is to provide a surface heater platform structure which can be readily combined with an existing oven in such a manner as to provide cooking apparatus suitable for use, particularly where available space presents a problem.

l atented Oct. 15, 1968 Briefly, the above-cited objects are accomplished by providing a platform supporting four .conventional surface heating units, which platform is adapted to be attached to and supported directly under, in the inoperative position, an existing cooking oven. The platform comprises a pair of supporting arms carried by a pair of covers adapted to be attached to the; side walls of the oven. Guide pins protruding from the arms are adapted to ride in slotted members in the covers when the platform is manually moved from its inoperative position, directly below the bottom wall of the oven, downwardly andv forwardly to its operative position. Means for. biasing the platform in ,anup wardly direction may beproyided to serve in aiding the operatorin lifting the platform from its operativeto its inoperative postion and to hold or retain the platform in 7 its inoperative position.

To complete an electrical circuit from the surface heating units to the one end of the power cord through a manually operable switch, there is secured to the upper end of one of the supportarms a terminal block to which cross wire contacts, strung from the heating units through the arm which is hollow, are fastened. When the platform is lowered to its operative position, the contacts secured to the aforementioned terminal block engage similar contacts carried by a stationary terminal block secured to one of the slotted members. It will be seen that with such an arrangement it will be impossible to inadvertently raise the platform to the inoperative position with the heating units energized.

Further objects and advantages of this invention will become apparent as the following description proceeds and features of novelty which characterize the invention will be pointed out in particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of this specification.

For a better understanding of the invention reference may be had to the accompanying drawings in which:

FIGURE 1 is a front elevational view of a combination cooking oven and surface heater platform representing the invention;

FIG. 2 is a side elevational view, partly broken away, of the combination cooking oven and platform shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a side elevational view similar to that of FIG. 2, but with the heater platform lowered to its operating position;

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view taken on the line IV- IV of FIG. 3; and

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary front elevational view, partly broken away, taken on the line V--V of FIG. 3.

Referring to the drawings, especially FIGS. 1 and 2, reference character 10 designates generally cooking apparatus comprising an oven 11 adapted to be mounted on a wall 9 and a platform 12 having a plurality of surface heating units 13 supported thereon.

A hollow supporting arm 14 is secured to each of the side walls of the platform 12 adjacent one end thereof and has afiixed to its opposite end a pair of guide pins 16, (see FIG. 3) the purpose of which will be discussed below. A plurality of electrical conductors 17, connected to the surface heating units 13 are passed through an opening (not shown) in one of the side walls of the platform 12 and through one of the hollow supporting arms 14 and are connected to cross wire contacts 18 carried by a terminal block 19 secured to the upper end of the supporting arm 14. The contacts 18' are adapted to engage cross wire contacts 21 carried by a stationary terminal block 22. It will be understood that when the platform 12 has been lowered to its operative position (see FIG. 3) the contacts 21 engage the contacts 18 thereby establishing an electrical circuit which through manual operation any one of a plurality of control knobs 24 may be connected to a household source of electrical energy through a power c ord' (23).It will" be clear that energization of the heating units 13, when the-platform 12 is in its raised position (see FIGS. 1 and 2), is impossible, a matter of considerable safety in this type of' construction.

Tooperably connect the platform 12 to the oven 11 a pair of covers 26 are provided, which covers are adapted to be secured to the side wallsof the oven by sheet metal screws-27 or any other suitable fasteningmeans. Secured to theinner-'surface'of each of the covers 26 is a guide member 28 (only one shown) each having a pair of substantially Z-shaped slots 25 therein for slidably receiving the guide pins 16; It will be apparent that as-the platform- 12 is-lowered from its uppermostposition by the operator, cooperation-of the guide pins 16 and slotted guide members 28 cause to move'forward slightly and then downwardly at an angle and then forwardly until the guide pins 16 are received in recesses 29 and engaged by catches 31 which serve to lock the platform 12 in the operative or lowered position (see FIG. 3) to prevent.retraction of the platform 12 due to the bias force exerted by spring means, not shown, which may be attached to the arms 14 and the upper edge of the covers 16; Returning of the platform 12 to its inoperative position (FIG. 2) is, of course, aided by the springs, not shown due to the restoring force thereof.

While there has been shown and described what is at present considered to be the preferred embodiment of the invention, modifications thereto will readily occur to those skilled in the art. It is not desired, therefore, that the invention be limited to the specific arrangements shown and described and it is intended to cover in the appended claims all such modifications as fall within thetrue spirit and scope of the invention. 3

What is claimed is:

1. Mechanism for converting a wall type oven to a combination cooking apparatus comprising the oven and a heater carrying platform, said mechanism comprising: cover means adapted to be mounted to the'side walls of saidoven, a pair of supporting arms attach'ed at one end thereof to the ends of said platform, pin and guide means connecting the other ends of said supporting arms to said cover means for relative slidingmovement therebetween, means for biasingsaidplatform in the upward direction.

2. Structure as specified in claim 1, wherein said platform is adapted to be moved from'an inoperative position directly below said oven and said pin and guide means are adapted to direct movement of the platform to its operative position 'verticallybelow and forwardly above the inoperative position." a

References Cited 7 UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,615,118 10/1952 Kelly 219 454 X 2,682,600 7 6/1954 Ru tenber 219 454 X 2,972,036 2/1961 Pollock etal 219 444 3,291,967

12/1966 Tilus 219 444 X RICHARD M. WOOD, Primary Examiner.

L. H. BENDER, Assistant Examiner. 

